HSCT works for people with relapsing MS who don’t respond to existing DMTs

Posted by & filed under MS News.

Source BBC:

Doctors say a stem cell transplant could be a “game changer” for many patients with multiple sclerosis.

Results from an international trial show that it was able to stop the disease and improve symptoms. It involves wiping out a patient’s immune system using cancer drugs and then rebooting it with a stem cell transplant.

Louise Willetts, 36, from Rotherham, is now symptom-free and told me: “It feels like a miracle.”

A total of 100,000 people in the UK have MS, which attacks nerves in the brain and spinal cord.  Just over 100 patients took part in the trial, in hospitals in Chicago, Sheffield, Uppsala in Sweden and Sao Paulo in Brazil.  They all had relapsing-remitting MS – where attacks or relapses are followed by periods of remission.

The interim results were released at the annual meeting of the European Society for Bone and Marrow Transplantation in Lisbon.  Read on.

MS drug hope

Posted by & filed under MS News.

Source BBC: MS drug hope for secondary-progressive stage. A study of a new drug to treat advanced cases of multiple sclerosis suggests it may be possible to delay progression of the disease in the short term, although the effects were small.

n a trial of 1,327 people, in The Lancet, 26% saw their disability worsen after three months taking siponimod compared with 32% taking a dummy drug.

No drugs currently exist for secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis.

An MS expert expressed caution, saying other new treatments were still needed.

About 100,000 people in the UK have MS – a lifelong, progressive condition. Most are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 70. Read on.

Caroline Wyatt – My quest to stop MS in its tracks

Posted by & filed under MS News.

Source BBC: A year on from gruelling stem cell treatment for her multiple sclerosis, BBC correspondent Caroline Wyatt reveals what effect the potentially life-changing “reboot” of her immune system has had on her life.

The results of an international trial show stem cell transplants can vastly improve the lives of some people with multiple sclerosis.

The gruelling treatment involves wiping out a patient’s faulty immune system with drugs used to treat cancer – and then rebuilding it using stem cell transplants.

The BBC’s Caroline Wyatt, who was deemed unsuitable for a trial in the UK, paid for a stem cell transplant in Mexico.  Read her story here. 

Cakes needed

Posted by & filed under Centre News.

Cakes needed for our annual cake sale on Milton Park.  Home-made and bought please.  Any volunteers to help on the day would be much appreciated.  Friday 11th May at lunchtime…… Pick up a small slip at the centre…

Spring News

Posted by & filed under Events.

Dear Readers,

It is starting to feel like spring! Time to try and get outdoors more and enjoy fresh air and some sunshine.

New Classes:

Breathe Better (COPD class) Marlborough Road Methodist Church, Banbury, Starting Thursday 5th April 1.30 – 2.30 pm

Chair Dancing (Chair-based exercise) at Chinnor Village Hall; Tuesdays 10.30 am

Changes to current classes (highlighted)

Strength & Balance (falls prevention) Chipping Norton Town hall; Mondays 9-10 am
Strength & Balance (falls prevention) Marston Scout Hut, Oxford; Wednesdays11 – 12 [used to be Thursdays]
Strength & Balance (falls prevention) Preston Road, Abingdon; Tuesdays 11.40
Big Bold and Balance (Parkinsons) Preston Road, Abingdon Tuesdays 11.10

We have plans to start Strength & Balance classes in Charlbury and Kidlington. If you are interested, drop us an email and we will add you to our list. Email Generation Games
Our Big Bold and Balance DVDs are here! I have sent these out to anyone who had previously requested a copy. If I missed you, or if you would like a copy please let us know. Free for people living with PD in Oxfordshire.
See what a Strength & Balance class is like – watch video

100 club winners February

Posted by & filed under Centre News.

Steve Lewis, Toni Radulovic, Jodie Tolmie winning a share of £85!!

If you are not in the 100 club why not join, only £5 a month.  Speak to Sue or Gloria for details.

Low-dose Naltrexone Changes Levels of Inflammatory Proteins in MS, Study Shows

Posted by & filed under MS News.

Source Multiple Sclerosis News Today:

Inhibition of the neuroactive opioid growth factor (OGF) alters the blood levels of important pro- and anti-inflammatory proteins in mice with multiple sclerosis (MS)-like disease. The recognition of this regulatory response may represent a new way to monitor disease progression and treatment response in MS.

These findings were reported in a study published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine, titled “Modulation of the OGF–OGFr pathway alters cytokine profiles in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis.” The study was led by researchers at Penn State University.

Understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in MS and finding ways to tackle them is crucial for improving early diagnosis, monitoring disease progression, and patient care.  Read on.